Special Containment Procedures: Fencing is to be constructed around the area containing SCP-1271, with a space of 75 m between the fencing and SCP-1271. This perimeter is to be monitored by no fewer than five (5) guards at any given time, who are to deny all civilians access to SCP-1271. Guards are to be equipped with high-powered cameras with telephoto lenses and are to be trained in their use. SCP-1271 is to be monitored via video surveillance at all times. During a 1271-A event, all guards are instructed to prevent the commencement of the 1271-A event and detain all civilians involved.observe the 1271-A event and attempt to detain all civilians involved. maintain a distance of 25 m or greater from SCP-1271 during the event and make no attempt to interact with any civilians involved.

During 1271-A events, guards are to take as many close-in photographs of the faces of civilians using SCP-1271 as possible. No fewer than twelve (12) parabolic microphones with diameters of 17 m are to be trained on the field at any given time; during 1271-A events, microphones are to be focused on individual civilians and all spoken dialogue is to be recorded to aid in identification of affected civilians. All audio and visual data for each civilian are to be compiled and cross-referenced against all available databases using facial recognition software. Under no circumstances are Foundation personnel to enter within 25 m of SCP-1271 during a 1271-A event. Under no circumstances is any Foundation technology to be left within SCP-1271 except during authorized testing.

All individuals identified as having participated in any 1271-A event are to be detained at Site 34 and questioned.

Description: SCP-1271 is a square tract of land approximately 20 m on each side, roughly landscaped into a functional kickball field. The field comprised a portion of the grounds of Sheckler Elementary School in Catasauqua, PA, before the school was closed in 1967. The grounds have been abandoned ever since.

Approximately once per year, typically within two weeks of the summer solstice, SCP-1271 will become occupied by sixteen (16) civilians, ranging from five to eleven years of age. The means by which these civilians, identified here as SCP-1271-(1-16), travel to SCP-1271 is unknown; civilians have been noted originating from every continent and 124 countries. All affected civilians demonstrate symptoms of a trance state and are unwilling or unable to communicate with or acknowledge Foundation researchers in any way. Most children who are located, identified, and interviewed later claim to have no memory of their activities involving SCP-1271 and are unable to contribute to Foundation understanding of the mechanisms underlying SCP-1271.

Upon arriving at the site of SCP-1271, civilians will begin carrying out a game of kickball according to accepted conventions of game rules; these games are referred to as 1271-A events. Civilians will divide themselves into two teams of eight apiece and play three full innings. Throughout the game, the civilians will display body language indicating pleasure and enjoyment, including smiling faces, laughing, and excited speech. The speech itself typically involves a syntax and vocabulary closely resembling the Unami language of the indigenous American Indian population of the region. At the conclusion of the game, the players will bow in the direction of the pitcher''s mound and conduct a brief chant in the Unami language1 before dispersing. As the affected civilians reach the perimeter of SCP-1271, they disappear from the area via an unknown form of teleportation.

Two additional anomalous effects have been noted with regards to SCP-1271. First, when individuals not summoned to SCP-1271 enter to within 25 m of the field during 1271-A events, these individuals will begin participating in the game. This participation will divide evenly between the two teams, either substituting for exhausted players or carrying out work such as supplying water or towels to players. At the conclusion of the game, individuals affected in this way disappear in the same manner as affected civilians. No affected Foundation personnel have yet been recovered. The second anomalous effect associated with SCP-1271 is documented in Addendum 1271-1.

Addendum 1271-1: Documented patterns of affected civilians

Since the Foundation began monitoring SCP-1271 in 1972, four hundred eighty (480) civilian children from around the world have been affected by SCP-1271. Efforts to determine the identities of affected civilians began shortly thereafter, and was aided by the digitization and computerization of Foundation records and databases during the 1980s. Through the use of facial recognition software, the Foundation has been able to identify one hundred twenty-six (126) of the civilians affected to date. During standard correlational analysis of the identified civilians, certain patterns were detected relating specifically to the position played by affected civilians. For purposes of this analysis, the team that begins the game on offense is designated "Red," while the team beginning the game on defense is designated "Blue". To date, only 10% of recovered civilians have any memory of their experiences with SCP-1271.

Develops interest in aeronautics; takes a high-ranking job in American, Russian, or Chinese space development agencies. (30 total instances, 10 identified, 9 having given trait)

SCP-1271-6

Red team left outfield/sixth kicker

Becomes trusted adviser to an individual in a position of authority over an international body of some kind. Lists of specific individuals and qualifying bodies included in Document 1271-Beta. (30 total instances, 11 identified, 10 having given trait

SCP-1271-7

Red team center outfield/seventh kicker

Dies at age 23. (30 total instances, 7 identified, 6 having given trait)

SCP-1271-8

Red team right outfield/eighth kicker

Becomes famous in the visual arts, particularly acting. (30 total instances, 9 identified, 9 having given trait)

SCP-1271-9

Blue team first baseman/first kicker

Develops an interest in chemistry; identified instances typically take up work in pharmacology. Several instances personally responsible for the development of breakthrough drugs for a variety of illnesses. (30 total instances, 15 identified, 14 having given trait)

SCP-1271-10

Blue team second baseman/second kicker

Takes up a career in politics; becomes a head of state or high-ranking politician in their nation of origin. (30 total instances, 11 identified, 11 having given trait)

SCP-1271-11

Blue team third baseman/third kicker

Becomes addicted to barbiturates before age 25, dies before age 27. (30 total instances, 10 identified, 9 having given trait)

SCP-1271-12

Blue team roller/fourth kicker

None have yet been identified.

SCP-1271-13

Blue team left outfield/fifth kicker

Gains a position of leadership; no pattern has yet been determined beyond this. Roles can vary from corporate chairman to factory foreman, but will involve high levels of authority. (30 total instances, 9 identified, 9 having given trait)

SCP-1271-14

Blue team center outfield/sixth kicker

Develops interest in religion; becomes an authoritative figure in a religious movement. Religions involved may vary and typically are global in reach; however, two identified instances have led cults involved [DATA EXPUNGED] (30 total instances, 11 identified, 11 having given trait)

SCP-1271-15

Blue team right outfield/seventh kicker

Develops interest in electronics technology; becomes known as an innovative engineer, pioneering in telecom or internet technology. (30 total instances, 6 identified, 4 having given trait)

SCP-1271-11-Gamma served as third baseman for the Blue team in an 1271-A event that transpired in 1981. His image was identified using photo recognition and aging software in 1994 in a collegiate catalog from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. Given his connection to SCP-1271, the individual was detained for questioning and held for observation for several years.

Dr. Hicks: Have you ever consumed illegal narcotics?

11-Gamma: Never. Before the… that… whatever it was that happened, when I was a kid, we lived in a good neighborhood. My mom told me about drugs, told me not to try them. This was back in the late 70s, you know, that stuff was everywhere. But she raised me right. And it wasn''t always easy.

Dr. Hicks: Could you elaborate?

11-Gamma: Well, like I said, that was how she raised me. And that was how things were back in the day. But things got bad around the time I was, um, I think twelve or so?

Note: Subject 11-Gamma was eleven years of age when Event 1271-A-1981 transpired.

11-Gamma: Yeah, I dunno. My dad, he was this real straight-laced guy, right? Factory worker, out at the Goodyear plant. Amazing guy, hard worker. And then one day, it seems like, the cops show up.

Dr. Hicks: The drug arrest, correct?

11-Gamma: Yeah. Phenobarbitol. He was fine one day, he was in jail the next. They didn''t have evidence to hold him, so he got out. And he was such a fucking prick after that, I swear to god.

Dr. Hicks: Behavior changes?

11-Gamma: Yeah, he and my mom both. They were so in love before, and then suddenly it was… Jesus, it was a nightmare. He was hitting me, he was hitting her, she wouldn''t leave, she loved him, he was doing drugs, then she was doing drugs. I swear to God, it got so bad, he wanted me to start doing drugs. Said it would calm me down. Said it would keep me from thinking I was better than him. Tried to make me take them. That was when I left.

Dr. Hicks: Ran away?

11-Gamma: Yeah. I tried the guidance counselor, it was like she wasn''t even there. Teachers too. I just booked it, left town. I… look, I got out of there. Went a few towns over, got into a foster program. It sucked exactly as much as you think, but I just stayed in the books, y''know? Kept my head down.

Dr. Hicks: And avoided drugs?

11-Gamma: It was hard. Everyone was into it around me; tried to push it on me, all that shit you get in DARE, the peer pressure, violence, everything. All the way into college; it seems like everyone around me got into it either right before or right after I met them, and they all wanted to share. It got worse the older I got. I graduated a few months ago; I was glad to get away from that.

Dr. Hicks: I understand.

Note: Approximately three days before 11-Gamma''s twenty-fifth birthday, Dr. Hicks assaulted him and forcibly injected phenobarbitol into his system. No orders to do so had been given. 11-Gamma developed an addiction and was terminated attempting to assault a nurse four months later. Dr. Hicks claimed temporary insanity; medical tests revealed a small brain tumor had developed, impairing his judgement.

Subject 14-Epsilon was in charge of the largest cadre of a cult known as the "Brotherhood of the Rubicon" in Johannesburg, South Africa. Subject was captured in a Foundation raid against their safehouse and was identified as an outfielder in an SCP-1271-A event in 1989.

Dr. Graves: How did you come to join the Brotherhood?

14-Epsilon: I was not born to greatness. Greatness found me. God found me in the back of a field and spoke lies to me. I see truth now. I speak truth now.

Dr. Graves: I''m sorry, I''m afraid I don''t—

14-Epsilon: You think you know what that field is. God spoke lies to me. God lies to us all. God fears us because we have a new lord. She will lead us to his throne. You think you know what that field is. I was not born to greatness.

Dr. Graves: Are you suggesting SCP-1271 compelled or changed you in some way?

14-Epsilon: God is the least of what lives in that field. Those things choose you and send you into the world. God spoke lies to me. The things in that field chose us, trained us, shaped us. We are what they make us. You think you know what that field is.

Dr. Graves: You believe your fate was destined?

14-Epsilon: They speak lies to us until the lies become truth. The field showed me the Rubicon. The Rubicon will help me kill God.

Dr. Graves: Did the field tell you to kill God? Did it tell you how?

14-Epsilon: God lives in that field. God is the least of what lives in that field. I speak truth now.

Subject 14-Epsilon was deemed an unreliable witness due to untreatable paranoid schizophrenia and was terminated.

Subject 13-Theta served as a Blue-team left outfielder in the first recorded 1271-A event in 1972. Subject was a member of [REDACTED] when facial identification algorithms identified him in 2011. Due to his position, several red alerts were triggered in Foundation computers and Subject 13-Theta was detained. Subject 13-Theta claimed to have no knowledge of his involvement with SCP-1271. Interview heavily redacted to prevent disclosure of sensitive information.

Dr. Graves: Do you have any recollection of your involvement with SCP-1271?

13-Theta: Fucking of course not, Graves. I told you that yesterday. Do you think I would have accepted the job at [REDACTED] if I thought I had been recruited in a kickball game when I was eleven? Give me a little more credit than that.

Dr. Graves: Of course, si- -of course not. However, several influential academics, politicians, and scientists have been identified as being involved with SCP-1271, almost always without their prior knowledge—

13-Theta: And I know you also identified a High Priest of the Church of the Broken God, a mid-level executive with Marshall, Carter, and Dark Ltd., and two Serpent''s Hand cell leaders among affected personnel. I used to get these reports. So the other [REDACTED] decided one of us was in on it too.

Dr. Graves: You believe this is a conspiracy led by other members of [REDACTED]?

13-Theta: It''s not a "conspiracy" when the good guys do it, Graves, it''s a plan. They considered me expendable, and so I was expended. Security can say they did their job, we all go home happy. Unless there really is some brainwashed freak high in [REDACTED] who is liable to snap and take us all out.

Several minutes of conversation redacted due to involvement of sensitive containment information

Dr. Graves: How would you respond to the following phrase: [Dr. Graves recites the Unami chant that marks the end of each 1271-A event.]

13-Theta: I would say you don''t… don''t know what… (trails off)

Dr. Graves: Sir? Are you with us?

13-Theta: [Begins mumbling in Unami language, falls unconscious]

Subject 13-Theta remanded to medical wing for treatment. While in medical care, subject escaped containment, using his knowledge of Site 34''s authorization codes to leave the premises. Subject has not yet been recaptured. Unami phrase uttered before unconsciousness translated to "but the children''s footprints are numerous."

Footnotes

1. The chant closely resembles the Unami phrase še· lah ni e·k·a·kwe tali-ɔkhakéhɔ·n ní·ša awé·ni·k, which translates loosely to "Over there under the trees, two people were buried."